How to supercharge your Russian language learning efforts

Learning any language is a skill that has to be commended, and in addition to the social or business advantages that having a good command of Russian will give you, you'll also benefit from a sharpened memory and perhaps even a decreased risk of such cognitive diseases as Alzheimer's.

Today we'll be taking a look at the approach that you should take towards learning Russian as a second language.

There are at least a hundred methods and courses you could use to learn any language, so which should you choose? We'll take a look at some of our recommended methods below.

Before we start, you need to know that there is one factor that is even more important than the quality of tuition you receive or perhaps even your natural ability.
So what is that all-important factor? It is motivation. Without constant motivation, your all important studies of Russian are likely to grind to a halt as your initial love affair with the language begins to wear thin. So how do you keep your motivation high? Here are a few top tips:

1) Set goals and find a way to stick to them
Set concrete goals such as to learn 200 words this month, complete a certain number of parts of a course or try out your Russian translation skills on an article. Track your progress as you go and you'll be able to measure your achievement and look back to see how far you’ve come.

2) Change up your methods regularly
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, so try to switch your learning methods regularly. Try a new app, find a new site to read news on or hit YouTube for some Russian language clips. You can also try doing something you’d normally choose but in Russian (like watching Netflix with Russian subtitles for example, or listen to some Russian music in a genre that you like).

3) Book an exam
Taking an exam such as the TORFL Russian exam will give you an incentive to cram those regular verbs and work on your speaking, so give it some consideration!

4) Take a course abroad
Spending a week or more in a Russian speaking country will force you to use what you've learned so far, boost your learning in an intensive fashion and give you further impetus to study.

5) Get Russian friends
Step 4 above will probably help with this one, but finding a language exchange partner online or joining a local community group in your area for Russian speakers will help you in practicing your Russian skills with the added bonus of building relationships.

Conclusion
Take care of your motivation and your Russian will come on in leaps and bounds. Keep your studies varied and you’ll reach the level of Russian that you want sooner than you think. Удачи (good luck) with your studies!